Single row feeder



June 21, 1960 V HUTTER ErAL 2,941,651

' SINGLE ROW FEEDER Filed May 22, 1958 mam ATTORNEY United States Patent SINGLE Row FEEDER James F. Hutter and Leonard Kelly, Bancroft, Ontario, Canada, assignors to K & H Equipment Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed May 22, 1958, Ser. No. 737,149 r 2 Claims. (Cl. 198-30) This invention relates to a single row feeding device.

In the treatment, sorting or inspection of objects such as pieces or ore and the like, as well as manufactured objects, it is sometimes desirable to provide a single row of such objects. For instance, the sorting apparatus described in our copending application for patent filed March 3, 1958, under Serial Number 718,874, requires that the objects to be sorted be disposed in a single row.

The output of a conventional constant rate ore or like feeder has a limiting maximum rate of movement along the feeder, and higher capacities are achieved by increasing the width and producing a substantially line abreast feed pattern.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective device for feeding objects in a single row and at relatively high speed.

Anothermore specific object is to provide a device for converting the line abreast flow at limited speed of a conventional feeder to a single row output travelling at any required higher speed.

The invention resides broadly in a single row feeder comprising a member mounted for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said member having an upper surface for reception of objects to be fed in a single row and a stationary substantially spiral guide disposed above said surface and in close proximity thereto to receive objects carriedby said member, said member in response to rotation thereof being adapted to apply centrifugal force to said objects for singly successive contact with said guide.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modified portion of the apparatus,

Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the modified apparatus shown in Figure 3,

FigureS is a diagrammatic plan view of a further modification of a portion of the apparatus, and I Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of the modified apparatus shown in Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a base plate which may be mounted on frame members 2. A disk 3, which may comprise a flat circular metal plate as shown, is revolvably mounted on base plate 1 by means of a shaft 4. Shaft 4 extends axially through base plate 1 and is sup ported in a bearing fixed to the base plate. The disk 3 is axially fixed to the upper end of shaft'4 as by a bolt 6. Preferably, a plate 7 having a convex upper surface 70 is axially fixed to the upper surface of disk 3, the plate 7 having a diameter of the order of about one-quarter that of the disk 3 in the embodiment shown. It will be apparent that the base plate 1 and disk 3 are each adapted to be arranged in a generally horizontal plane in operative position, and that the shaft 4 has a substantially vertical axis.

, 2,941,651 Patented June 21, 1960 Disk Sis preferably additionally supported by means of a suitable bearing assembly 8 interposed between the disk and the base plate 1. As shown, this bearing assembly comprises a race plate 9 fixed to the base plate, a race plate 10 fixed to the disk, a bearing race 11 carried by each race plate, and ball bearings 12 disposed in the races.

The shaft 4 is driven by any suitable means such as a motor 13 carried by a frame member 2, the motor being connected through a speed reducer 14 by .a belt drive 15 to the shaft.

Stationarily arranged above disk 3 is a guide or band 16 spirally curved about the axis of the disk. In the modification shown, the band 16 is in perpendicular relation to the disk with its lower edge spaced slightly above the upper surface of the disk. Generally speaking, the spacing between the disk and band will be of the'order of a.

the band is such that it traverses a major portion of thecircumferential extent of the disk.

The band 16 is supported in the position described by means of a bracket 19 having a radially extending flange 20 mounted on a plurality of bolts 21 carried by the base plate 1. Each bolt is provided with a tubular spacer 22 defining the vertical position of the band. It will be apparent that the vertical position of the band may be adjusted by varying the height of the spacers 22. Moreover, the horizontal position of the band may be varied by pro viding a series of additional bolt-receiving holes 23 adjacent each bolt 21.

The disk 3 and the band 16 are each faced with or composed of a wear resistant material such as hard, wear resistant steel.

. The objects to be disposed in a single row are adapted to be deposited on the revolving disk 3 adjacent the end 17 of the band 16. Any suitable device may be employed to feed the unaligned objects onto the disk. There is illustrated an inclined chute 24 of a conventional feeder which may be vibratory type, the chute being arranged to receive objects 25 from a hopper 26 and to discharge such objects onto the disk in an area located generally between the axis of the disk and the end 17 of the band 16. Such a vibratory type of feeder will discharge a single layer of objects and preferably it has a width which will accommodate only about three or four objects whereby it will simultaneously discharge only three or four objects. The feeder has a substantially constant discharge rate.

In operation, as the objects are deposited onto the disk 3, centrifugal force will tend to slide the same towards the outer periphery of the disk and into sliding pressure contact with the stationary band or guide 16. Since the guide 16 is of spiral configuration, it leads the objects into paths of progressively increasing radius, thus effectively increasing their speed and separation. This separation leaves room for objects deposited closer to the center of the disk to slide into place against the guide and form a single row. The objects are ejected from the end 18 of the spiral guide in a single aligned row. A discharge receiving trough may be provided adjacent the end 18.

The centrally disposed convex surface 7a ensures that, should an object reach the center zone of the disk, it will engage such convex surface and move outwardly to a zone where centrifugal force will overcome friction and slide the object to the spiral guide. Thus, no objects. could complete a revolution and become jammed under the feeder chute.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a modified form of disk. 3 and guide 16 is therein illustrated. Instead of a flat 3 disle there; is employed; an. inverted conical disk 27, the object receiving surface 28 of which may be inclined at an angle of approximately 30 to the horizontal. Instead of band or guide 16, there is provided spirally curved a band,29, which is disposed. atan angle of approximately 90 to the surface 28 Band 29isprovided with a mounting; flange 30. The. discharge end 31 of: band 2 9 mayproject outwardly from the periphery of disk 27. Since the band is of progressively greater. distance from theaxis of disk 27 from the-inlet end to the discharge end thereof, it is of progressively greater width or depth as clearly shown, in Figure 4.- Insomeinstances, it may be desirable to face the. conical surface 28,. withv a; rubber covering 32.

Referring to Figures and 6, the modified; form'of guide; and. disk therein illustrated. is in all. respects. similarto that showninl-Figures; 3 and 4 except that the angleof theconical object; receiving surface; is of less degree. In. thismodification, 3 3 v is the'disk, 34 the band withdischarge end 35 and mounting flange '36. The conical object receiving surface 37' of the disk is disposed at an angle -of approximately from the horizontal, the band 34 being disposed at an angle of approximately 90 to the surface 37.

The provision of a conical object receiving surface asv shown in Figures 3' to 6, inclusive, is desirable. in, the handling of certain types and shapes of objects. The

angle of the conical surface may vary greatly depending;

uponthe type and shape of-objects being handled. Thus, this angle may vary from 5 to 45.

Furthermore; it; will be understood that theobjectrecei'ving surface of. any disk employed may be faced with.

rubberfor' like. material, asindicatedin Figure 4,. depend! ing upon the natureof-the objects being handled.

Use of. a single row feeding device such as described make it possible readily to associate therewith a washing means. Thus, a. sprayer mounted axially above. the

disk with its sprays directed radially outwardly would subject all faces of the. objects to the washing action of the sprays due to the rolling motion of the objects on the.

Diameter of disk 3 feet- 4 It will also be apparent that the speed at which the disk 3, 27 or 33 is driven will vary according to circumstances of use. A suitable. speed is approximately 48 r.p.m. but this may vary fromv 30 to. 65. r.p.m.

It may be mentioned that a device as described, having a diskspecdof. about 48 r.p.m. and handling ore piecesof; a maximumdimension. of 8,. inches, willproduce a; single row of such pieces at the rate of 25 Opieces'per minute;

We claim:

l. A single row feeder comprising a disk mounted for rotation about a substantiallyvertical. axis and having an upper surface for reception of objects to be fed in a single row, said surface being of inverted conical configuration, means for driving said disk, and a band stationarily' mounted above said disk and having a spirally curved surface disposed in close; proximity and in angular relation to said rotatable surface, said stationary surface. having one end disposed above aporti'on of said. rotatable surface located in substantially spaced relation to the axis and periphery thereof and another end disposed directly above the periphery ofsaid rotatable surface, said stationary surface describing the major portion of but less than one complete convolution about the axis. of, said rotatable surface, and means for feeding objects, directly onto saidrotatable surface adjacent said one.,endj of said stationary surface, said disk, in response to 1701a,-

tion thereof, being adapted to apply centrifugal force to said objects for singly successive contact withwsaidl stationary surface, said other end of said stationary surface constituting the discharge point of said ol'ajectsv from said rotatable member, the periphery of saidv disk. being,

unobstructed. at saiddischarge point for free straight. l'mev discharge of said objects therefrom.

2.. A single. row feeder: as defined-.incl'aim l the angle ofsaid conical. rotatable, surface being 5 to 45, to. the horizontal,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,644,342. Mabee. Oct. 4,. 19-27 2,594,337 Noe Apr. 20,. 1952: 2,728,442 Whitecar. Dec. 27,1955 2,792,099. Hefit: May; 14, 1 957 

